Spool assemblies

ABSTRACT

Two spool halves each include a flange and a hub half which has a semicircular cross section and which is connected to and extending from the flange thereof, with complementary tongues and grooves formed along the longitudinal mating surfaces thereof and with an inner face of each flange provided with an arcuate recess for receiving a free end of the mating hub half. The spool is assembled by aligning the mating tongues and grooves and then moving the halves slidably into engagement with each other to connect together the halves and then securing the halves together by inserting the free end of each hub half into the recess in the flange of the mating half. The outer face of each flange is formed with inclined portions or surfaces so that as the spool is rotated with a spindle, the flange is subjected to air pressures which maintain the spool on the spindle in a generally fixed position along the longitudinal axis of rotation. Longitudinal grooves are formed on the inner wall surfaces of the hub halves to receive splines formed on the spindle to secure the spool to the spindle for rotation therewith.

United States Patent [1511 3,635,421 Boland et al. 1 Jan. 18, 1972 [54] SPOOL ASSEMBLIES 562,868 5/1957 Italy 242/718 [72] inventors: Daniel E. Boland, Buffalo; Dale 1E. Craig,

Tonawanda, both of NY.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,156,64010/1963 Germany ..242/71.s

956,829 4/1964 GreatBritain Primary ExaminerGeorge 1F. Mautz Att0rney-W. M. Kain, R. P. Miller and Don 1?. Bush [57] ABSTM C'IF Two spool halves each include a flange and a hub half which has a semicircular cross section and which is connected to and extending from the flange thereof, with complementary tonguess and grooves formed along the longitudinal mating surfaces thereof and with an inner face of each flange provided with an arcuate recess for receiving a free end of the mating hub half. The spool is assembled by aligning the mating tongues and grooves and then moving the halves slidably into engagement with each other to connect together the halves and then securing the halves together by inserting the free end of each hub half into the recess in the flange of the mating half. The outer face of each flange is formed with inclined portions or surfaces so that as the spool is rotated with a spindle, the flange is subjected to air pressures which maintain the spool on the spindle in a generally fixed position along the longitudinal axis of rotation. Longitudinal grooves are formed on the inner wall surfaces of the hub halves to receive splines formed on the spindle to secure the spool to the spindle for rotation therewith.

22 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTED ma 1 8 i972 3.1635;

SHEEY 1 0F 3 0E. BOA/4ND, DE. C/PA/G ATTORNEY PATENTEDJAMBIQYZ 33354 SHEET 2 [IF 3 I SIPOQL ASSEMBLIES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to spool assemblies for use with a strand-handling apparatus, and more particularly to a new and improved spool for use in a concentric-type strand-serving apparatus which may be disassembled after a strand supply on the spool has been exhausted.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the manufacture of various types of filamentary or solid cores, such as insulated electrical conductor wires, serving machines are used to wrap textile strands spirally around the insulated electrical conductor wire. The textile strands are drawn from what is generally referred to in the art as a supply cop wound on a cop tube which is carried on a rotatable spindle. In the concentric-type serving machines, the core is advanced through the center of the cop, in which case, the cop tube must be capable of being removed from the core when the textile strands on the cop tube are exhausted.

When the textile supply on one cop is depleted, the empty cop must of necessity be replaced by a full cop of textile. It is most desirable to be able to remove the empty cop tube without interrupting the supply or takeup of insulated wire and without having to sever the insulated wire in order to remove the cop. In the past, it has been the practice to wind the textile for concentric serving machines on split paper or fiber cop tubes so that the empty cop tubes could be removed from the core. This has been accomplished by using a cardboard cop tube which is a split tubular member having no flanges. After being used a number of times, these cardboard cop tubes are discarded.

In order to overcome this problem, a cop tube of the construction shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,999 issued on Feb. 19, I95 2, could be used. The cop tube comprised of two identical sections of semicircular cross section having ribs projecting from the inner surface thereof may be used on a winding spindle having a plurality of longitudinal grooves with the ribs received in the grooves. When the cop is exhausted, the cop tube may be disengaged from the spindle and the identical sections slid longitudinally off the spindle and separated. How ever, the use of the aforementioned cop tube having identical semicircular sections require the use of a spindle designed to receive the cop tube, which type of spindle is not used on the presently used serving apparatus. It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved spool assembly which may be used with the presently used spindles and serving apparatuses.

Since the cardboard cop tube has no flanges, the textile must be wound onto a cop tube by using what is generally referred to in the art as a universal winding for an unflanged cop tube in which the textile is cross laid as opposed to what is referred to as a parallel wind on a flanged cop tube. This severely limits the amount of textile that may be wound on a supply cop and, hence, leads to more frequent stoppages in order to move subsequent spools of textile to be payed off on the advancing core.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved spool assembly which may be readily assembled to have an increased supply of textile wound thereon and then quickly disassembled after the textile supply thereon has been payed off in, for example, a serving operation.

It is not uncommon for the spool assembly to be urged axially along the spindle by the cotton strands being payed off from the spool assembly and past one of the flanges thereof in a high-speed strand-serving operation. Therefore, it is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved spool assembly having facilities for maintaining the spool assembly axially on the spindle during the paying out of a strand material therefrom in a serving operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With these and other objects in mind, the present invention contemplates a separable spool which includes a first flange having a hole formed therein, a second flange having a hole formed therein, a first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to the first flange and having the other end adapted to be received in the hole in the second flange, and a second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to the second flange and having the other end adaptedto be received in the hole in the first flange with the hub segments adapted to form a separable hub.

The spool is formed with the hub segments having longitudinally extending mating surfaces and with the first flange circumscribing a substantial portion of the first hub segment, and the second flange circumscribing a substantial portion of the second hub segment. The hub is separated by causing relative axial movement between the hub segments until the other ends of the hub segments are withdrawn from the holes in the flanges after which the hub segments are moved transverse of each other to disengage the mating surfaces.

The hole in each flange may include a recess formed in a face thereof or an opening formed therethrough. Moreover, a recess may be formed in the flange with the recess communicating with the peripheral edge surface of the flange. In this way, the hub segments of the separable spool are adapted to be separated transversely of each other by moving the other ends of the hub segments along the recesses and out of engagement with the flanges without causing relative axial movement between the hub segments.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a cotton package separable spool for use with a textile insulating apparatus which includes two mating members, each having a slotted flange and a partially tubular hub half, one end of which is secured rigidly to and extends from an inner face of the flange. The hub halves have mating surfaces with complementary dovetail-shaped ribs and grooves fonned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hub halves on opposed mating surfaces thereof so that one hub half may be slide fitted into engagement with the other hub half. Moreover, the inner face of each flange is provided with a recess adapted to receive the free other end of the mating extended hub half. The spool is assembled by moving the mating members so that the rib on one hub half is aligned with the groove in the other hub half and the rib on the other hub half is aligned with the groove in the one hub half.

The complementary rib and groove arrangement facilitates the relative axial movement of the hub halves until the other end of each hub half is received in the recess of the flange in the mating member to form a separable hub and to secure together the hub halves against relative longitudinal movement and prevents any unintended transverse movement of the hub halves while the relative axial movement is occurring. The hub is separated by causing relative axial movement of the hub halves to withdraw the free ends of the hub halves from the recesses in the flanges and causing further relative axial movement until the complementary ribs and grooves may be disengaged from each other and the hub halves separated transversely of each other.

An outer face of the flange over which the cotton is payed out is formed with a plurality of inclinedi surfaces so that as the spool is rotated with a spindle of a serving machine, the flange is subjected to air pressures which maintain the spool on the spindle. Although only that flange past which the cotton is payed out need be constructed with the inclined surfaces, it is beneficial to have identical flanges. In this way, an operator need not have to determine the orientation of the spool while a supply of cotton is wound thereon in order that the flange with the inclined surfaces be in the correct position during the subsequent serving operation.

A plurality of longitudinal grooves are formed in the interior wall on each of the hub halves to slidably engage splines or ribs formed on the spindle of the serving machine to lock the spool against rotation relative to the spindle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and features of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a spool which embodies the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a hub formed by the assembly of two mating members of the spool;

FIG. 3 is a simplified view in elevation of a cotton insulating machine which utilizes the spool of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a spool which is constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a spool assembly, designated generally by the numeral 10. The spool includes two members 1 l and l l which are mated together to form the spool assembly. In further describing the spool assembly 10, one of the members 11 and 11' will be described in detail and it will be understood that corresponding portions of the other member are designated with the same number but with a primed superscript.

T he member 11, which may be constructed of a plastic material such as nylon, includes a circular flange 12 having an outwardly facing radial face 13 and an inwardly facing radial face 14 and a circumferential peripheral face 16. Also, the flange 12 has a circular opening 17 formed therethrough with the center of the opening coincident with the center of the flange.

The flange 12 is constructed to direct aerodynamic forces against the flange during the rotation of the spool assembly 10 to prevent the spool assembly from moving in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the spool assembly. In order to shape aerodynamically the flange 12, the radial face 13 is formed with a hub 18 about the opening 17 and with a plurality of spokes 19 which connect the hub with the peripheral face 16. Then, the portion of the radial face 13 which lies between adjacent one of the spokes 19-19 is shaped to slope the radial face from the thickness of the flange 12 at the spoke to a thickness t, which is less than the thickness 2,. Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 1, the pattern formed on the radial face 13 is such that the thickness of the flange 12 on one side of each spoke 19 is and the thickness on the other side of the spoke 1st,.

The flange 12 has a slot 21 cut radially which extends from the opening 17 through the peripheral face 16. Moreover, the flange 12 at the intersection of the slot 21 and the peripheral face 16 is rounded tofacilitate the guiding of a strand (see FIG. 3) of a textile material, for example, through the slot.

As shown in FIG. 1, the member 11 also includes a hub half 22 having a semicircular cross-sectional shape and which is connected at one endthereof to the radial face 14 of the flange 12 and which extends from the radial face of the flange (see FIG. 1) axially of the spool 10. The hub half 22 has a wall thickness t and is connected to the flange 12 so that an inner wall surface 23 of the semicircular hub half is aligned with, and coincident with, a semicircular portion of the opening 17. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the semicircular hub half 22 is formed integrally with the flange l2.

Longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24 of the member 11 and corresponding longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24 of the member 11 are adapted to be secured together. One of the longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24 has a ridge or rib 26 formed thereon. The ridge 26 has a trapezoidal or dovetailed crosssectional shape (see FIG. 2) with the narrowest of the parallel faces thereof at the junction with the longitudinal edge surface 24. The other one of the longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24 has a groove 27 cut therein and having a trapezoidal or dovetailed cross-sectional shape for receiving a complementary ridge 26' of the mating member 11'. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the ridge 26 and groove 27 are formed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the hub half 22. Moreover, the members 11 and 11' are identical in construction with the exception of the ridges 26 and 26 and the grooves 27 and 27 which are formed as mirror images of each other on the longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24 to enable the members 11 and 11 to be mated together.

After the ridges 26 and 26' have been engaged with the complementary grooves 27 and 27", respectively, (see FIG. 2) and the members 11 and 11 moved slidably relative to each other to prevent lateral movement of the two halves 22 and 22' of the spool 10, the members must be secured together to prevent longitudinal disassembly during the rotation of the spool 10. In order to secure the members ll-ll' together in an assembled position, the free end of the hub half 22 is formed with a generally crescent-shaped longitudinal projection 28 (see FIG. I). The protrusion 28 has a maximum thickness t along a diametral line which is perpendicular to the diametral line through the edge surfaces 24-24. An inner surface 29 of the protrusion is an extension of the inner surface 23 of the tubular hub half 22. An outer surface 31 of the protrusion 28 is curved or sloped from the portion of maximum thickness in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions to join to the inner surface 29 in the vicinity of each of the longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24.

The protrusion 28 of the member 11 is adapted to be received in a recess 32 formed in flange 12 of the member 11 and a protrusion 28' of the member 11' is adapted to be received in an identical recess 32 formed in the flange 12 of the member 11. As is shown in FIG. 1, the recess 32 opens to the radial face 14 of the flange l2 and has a maximum width t slightly less than the wall thickness t; of the hub half 22 on each side of the slot 21 which opens also to the recess (see FIG. 1). A wall 33 of the recess 32 which is transverse to the radial face 14 of the flange 12 is thencurvecl in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions from the slot 21 an meets the surface forming the opening 17 where the longitudinal edge surfaces 24-24 of the hub half 22 meet the radial face 14.

The recess 32 has a configuration adapted to receive the protrusion 28 of the member 11' and to give a tight fit therebetween. Similarly, because of the identity of construction of the members 11 and 11, except for the location of the ridges 26 and 26' and grooves 27 and 27 on the mating surfaces 24 and 24', the recess 32' has a configuration adapted to receive the protrusion 28 of the member 11 and to give a tight fit therebetween. In this way, the protrusion 28 must be forced manually by an operator who assembles the spool into the recess 32 and the protrusion 28 forced manually into the recess 32' to secure together the members 11 and 11' again longitudinal movement relative of each other.

In order to couple the spool assembly 10 to a rotary payoff spindle 34 (see FIG. 3) during the serving of cotton, for example, from the spool assembly, the inner surfaces 23 and 23' of the hub halves 22 and 22 are formed with a plurality of Iongitudinal grooves 36-36 and 36'-36' (see FIG. 2) which engage with splines (not shown) on the payoff spindle to prevent rotation of the spool assembly with respect to the spindle.

In using the spool assembly 10, an operator assembles the members 11 and 11' by aligning the ridge 26 on the hub half 22 with the complementary groove 27' in the hub half 22' while simultaneously aligning the ridge 26 of the hub half 22' with the groove 27 in the hub half 22. Then, the operator moves the members 11 and 11' to engage the ridge 26 with the groove 27 and the ridge 26' with the groove 27 to connect together the members. Next, the members 11 and 1 1- are moved slidably relative to each other to move the flanges 12 and 12' toward one another until the protrusion 28 is received in the recess 32' and the protrusion 28' on the hub half 22 is received in the recess 32 in the flange 12 of the hub half 22. The complementary ridge and groove arrangement serves to guide the protruding ends 28 and 28' into the recesses 32' and 32, respectively, in the flanges 12 and 12.

Since the members 11 and II are not identical because of the mating ridge and groove configurations which are mirror images of each other, the operator may experience some delay in selecting one member of each configuration to assemble the spool 11). This potential problem may be overcome by color coding, for example, the members 11 a color different from that of members 11'.

The complementary ridge and groove arrangement, together with the insertion of the protrusions 28 and 28' in the recesses 32 and 32, respectively, secure the members 11 and 11' together. Then, the operator positions the spool assembly 111 in a takeup device (notshown) to receive a supply of cotton which is distributed transverse back and forth along the circumferential surfaces of the hub halves 22 and 22'. After accumulating the spool assemblies -10 with supply cotton, the operator positions a series of the spool assemblies 16-41) in preparation for a subsequent serving operation a concentric-type strand-serving apparatus, designated generally by the numeral 411 (see F16. 3).

As is shown in FIG. 3, the concentric-type strand-serving apparatus 11 includes a frame 42 having a rotatably mounted spindle 413 for receiving a reel 141 of an insulated conductor wire or core 16. The insulated wire 16 is threaded through a guide 417 and then through one of the spool assemblies 111- 11), designated 111a, which has been prepositioned in a cup 418 and through a tubular guide 19. The wire 16 is then threaded through the series of spool assemblies containing cotton strand which are stacked one upon the other and supported by the bracket 51 (see H6. 3) and over a capstan 52, which is mounted on a drive shaft 53 that extends from an arm 51 of the frame 412 and onto a takeup reel 56 which is mounted on a rotatably driven spindle 57 that is supported rotatably on a lower portion of the frame 412.

The cotton strand 26 is payed off from the spool assembly 111a and fed through a pair of spaced eye guides 511 and 59 and to the tubular guide 49. As the cup 48, the tubular guide 19 and the spool assembly 10 are rotated, the cotton strand 211 is applied spirally to the conductor wire 16. After the cop of cotton on the spool 10a currently being payed off in the cup 48 (see FIG. 3) is exhausted, the operator discontinues the advance of the electrical conductor wire 46 and then proceeds to disassemble the empty spool 1111a.

In order to disassemble the spool assembly 10a, the operator grasps the flange 12 of one of the members 11 in one hand and one end of the flange 12' of the other member 111' in the other hand and exerts a pulling force on the flanges to move the flanges away from one another. The imparting of the pulling forces to the flanges 12 and 12' disengages the protrusions 28 and 26' from the recesses 32 and 32 respectively.

Then, the operator slides the hub halves 22 and 22' relative to one another until the ridge 26 of the member 11 is disengaged from the groove 27' of the member 11' and the ridge 26' of he member 11 is similarly disengaged from the complimentary groove 27 in the member 11. After the ridges 26 and 26' and grooves 27 and 27 have been disengaged from each other, the operator merely moves each of he members 11 and 111' transverse of the electrical conductor wire 16 to move the electrical conductor wire along the slots 21 and 21 until the members 11 and 11' no longer circumscribe the path of travel of the electrical conductor wire.

Then the operator, while supporting manually the spool assemblies 111b, 1110, 111d, 111a and 10f (see F161. 3), moves pivotally the support bracket 51 from under the spool assembly 16b. While supporting the spool assemblies 16: through 1111f, the operator uses the other hand to slide the spool assembly 16b having cotton wound thereon, downwardly until the splines (not shown) on the spindle 341 are received in the grooves 36 and 36 in the bore formed by the-hub halves 22 and 22' of the spool assembly 1111b. Then the operator threads the leading end of the cotton strand 211 through the eye guides 58 and 59 onto the tubular guide 49, whereafter the operator restarts the operation of the strandserving apparatus 11.

As the supply of cotton strand on each spool assembly 111 is exhausted, the operator repeats the procedure hereinbefore described to disassemble the emptied spool assemblies and to move successive full spool assemblies of cotton into the payoff cup 418.

Referring to FIG. 41, therein is shown an alternate embodiment of the invention which comprises a spool assembly constructed of members 111 and 11111. The members 111 and 111 are identical to the members 11 and 11, respectively, but for a modification to the complementary ridge and groove arrangement. As before, only one of the members 1111 and 111 will be described in detail and it will be understood that the construction of the other member is identical to that of the one member which is described except for the complementary location of the ridges and grooves on the mating surfaces thereof. Moreover, it will be appreciated that elements of the spool members 111 and 111 which correspond to elements of the spool assembly 10 have the same numeric designation with 1611 added thereto.

The member 11111 has a flange 112 having outwardly and inwardly facing radial faces 113 and 111 and a peripheral face 116 with an opening 117 formed centrally through the flange. The flange 11112 has a center hub 118 on the radial face 113 with a plurality of spokes 119 connecting the hub to the peripheral face 116. Moreover, the portions of the radial face 113 between adjacent ones of the spokes 119ll 19 are sloped in the same manner as the radial face 13 of the member 11. A slot 121 is cut in the flange 112 to connect the opening 117 with the peripheral face 116.

Each of the members 111 and 111' is also constructed with a hub half 122 and 122 connected to the flanges 112 and 112', respectively. The hub half 122 has a semicircular configuration in' cross section and has an inner surface 123 with longitudinal edge surfaces 11211241 paralleling the longitudinal axis of the hub half and which are mated with corresponding longitudinal edge surfaces 1121-4241 of the mating member 111. One each of the edge surfaces 121-124 and 124 -1241 has a ridge 126 and 126, respectively, formed therealong (see FIG. 41) and each of the other of the edge surfaces 124-124 and 1241 124 has a groove 127 and 127', respectively, cut therein. Moreover, the free ends of the hub halves 122 and 122' are formed with a protrusion 1126 and 128, respectively, identical to the protrusion formed on the hub half 22.

However, the complementary ridges 1126 and 126 and the grooves 127 and 127 of the spool members 111 and 111', are formed somewhat differently than those of the spool members 11 and 11' to facilitate more rapid assembly and disassembly. The ridges 126 and 126' are formed as a plurality of discontinuous portions (see FIG. 4). Moreover, the longitudinal edge surfaces 1241124 have openings 125125 cut transversely thereof and extending to the outer surface of the hub half 122. The length J of each of the discrete portions of the ridge 1126 is slightly less than the length I, of the openings 1125'125 of the hub half 122' to permit the ridge portions to be moved slidably therein for subsequent engagement with the grooves 127'127. Moreover, each of the ridge portions 126-126 on the member 111 is aligned transversely of the longitudinal axis of the member with one of the openings 125.

in assembling the spool assembly 1111, the operator grasps one of the members 1111 and 1111 in one hand and the other one of the members in the other hand and moves the members relative to one another to align the ridge portions 126126 with the openings 125'125 of the member 111 and the ridge portions 126'-126' with the opening 125-125 of the member 111. Then the operator moves the hub halves 122 and 122' transversely of one another to move the ridge portions 127-127 and 127-127' within the openings 125'- 125' and 125-125, respectively, until the ridge portions 126ll26 and 126'126' are aligned in the grooves 127'- 127 and 127-127, respectively. With the ridge sections 126-126 and 126-126 aligned with the grooves 127-- 127' and 127-127, respectively, the operator then moves the members 111 and 111 axially relative to each other so that the flanges 112 and 112' are moved toward each other and the are transversely separable from each other.

ridge portions moved slidably into engagement with and then along the grooves until the end portions 128 and 128 engage the recesses 132' and 132, respectively, in the flanges to secure the membersiogether.

After the spool assembly 110, having a supply of cotton thereon, has been served onto an advancing core 46, the spool may be rapidly disassembled by the operator first imparting a pulling force to the flanges 112 and 112' to disengage the end portions 128 and 128' from the recesses 132' and 132, respectively, and continue to move the members 111 and 111' with respect to one another in opposite directions along the axis of the advancing core 46. However, in this embodiment, the members 111 and 111' need only to be moved relative to each other until each of the ridge portions 126l26 and 126' 126' are completely within each of the associated openings l25'125 and 125--l25, respectively, at which time the operator moves the members 111 and 111' laterally of one another to move the ridge portions l26-l26 and 126'-l26' out of the openings 125'-l25' and 125-125 to disengage the members 11 1 and l l l from each other.

What is claimed is:

l. A spool, which comprises:

a first flange having a hole formed centrally therein;

a second flange having a hole formed centrally therein; 2 5

afirst hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said first flange and having the other end adapted to be receivedin said hole in said first flange and to cooperate with said first hub segment to form a separable hub of the s 01;

a se 23nd hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said first flange and to cooperate with said first hub segment to form a separable hub of the spool;

the hub having an internal passage which is continuous and of uniform cross section through the hub and which is aligned with the holes in the flanges.

2. A spool, set forth in claim 1, wherein: said hub segments 3. A spool, which comprises:

a first hub segment;

a second hub segment;

a first flange secured rigidly to one 'end .of said first hub segment and having a hole formed centrally therein and adapted to receive one end of said second hub segment, said first flange circumscribing a substantial portion of one end of said first hub segment, and

a second flange secured rigidly to the other end of said second hub segment and having a hole formed centrally therein adapted to receive the other end of said first hub segment, said second flange circumscribing a substantial portion of the one end of said second hub segment, said hub segments being adapted to cooperate to form a separable hub for the spool;

the hub having an internal passage which is continuous and of uniform cross section through the hub and which is aligned with the holes in the flanges.

4. A spool, as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said hub segments are transversely separable from each other.

5. A separable spool, which comprises:

a first flange having a recess formed centrally therein;

a second flange spaced from said first flange and having a recess formed centrally therein;

a first partially tubular hub segment having a mating surface formed longitudinally thereof, said first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said first flange and the other end received in said recess in said second flange, and

a second Partially tubular hub segment having a longitudinally extending mating surface mated with said mating surface of said first hub segment to form a separable tubular hub, each said second hub segment having one end 75 secured rigidly to said second flange and the other end received in said recess in said first flange;

said tubular hub having an internal passage which is of continuous uniform cross section through the hub.

6. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said hub segments are transversely separable from each other.

7. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said first and second flanges circumscribe substantial portions of said first and second hub segments, respectively.

8. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 5, which further includes:

complementary means formed on said mating surfaces of said first and second hub segments for facilitating relative axial movement between said hub segments and for preventing unintended transverse movement of said first and second hub segments until the relative axial movement of the hub segments has been caused to occur.

9. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said complementary means include complementary ridge and groove means formed along the longitudinal mating surfaces of the hub segments.

10. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said complementary ridge and groove means are dovetail shaped.

11. A separable spool designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand handling operation, which comprises:

a first flange having a recess formed therein;

a second flange spaced from said first flange and having a recess formed therein;

a'first hub segment having a mating surface formed longitudinally thereof, said first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said flange and the other end received in said recess in said second flange,

a second hub segment having a longitudinally extending mating surface mated with said mating surface of said first hub segment to form a separable hub, said second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and the other end received in said recess in said first flange; and

means formed on one of the faces of one of said flanges for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along the axis of rotation of said spindle during the rotation of said spindle.

12. A separable spool designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand-handling operation, which comprises:

a first flange having a recess formed therein;

a second flange spaced from said first flange and having a recess formed therein;

a first hub segment having a mating surface formed longitudinally thereof, said first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said flange and the other end received in said recess in said second flange,

a second hub segment having a longitudinally extending mating surface mated with said mating surface of said first hub segment to form a separable hub, said second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and the other end received in said recess in said first flange; and

means formed on one of the faces of one of said flanges for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along the axis of rotation of said spindle during the rotation of said spindle;

said maintaining means includes at least one inclined sur face formed on an outward face of one of said'flanges which, upon rotation of the spool, has forces imparted thereto for overcoming those forces imparted to the spool during a paying out of strand material therefrom, which tend to urge said spool along the axis of rotation of the spool, to maintain said spool in a substantially fixed position along said axis of rotation.

13 A spool, as set forth in claim 5, and designed to have a strand of material advanced therethrough along the axis of rotation of the spool in a strand-handling operation, in which:

each of said flanges has a hole formed centrally therethrough;

further, each of said flanges has a slot formed therein which communicates said hole externally with the peripheral face of the flange, and

further, each of said hub segments is a partial tubular section, said mating hub segments forming a tubular hub having an internal passage, said internal passage aligned with said holes in said flanges.

M. A spool, as set forth in claim 13, which is mounted on a spindle for rotation with said spindle, wherein said hub segments are formed with a plurality of grooves spaced circumferentially about an inner surface thereof adapted to receive a plurality of splines formed axially thereof to secure said spool to said spindle.

15. A spool, which comprises:

two identical mating halves, each of said halves including:

a flange having a recess formed centrally therein, and

a partially tubular hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said flange and the other end received in the recess in the flange of the mating half, said hub segments adapted to form a separable tubular hub, said hub segments being transversely separable from each other;

said tubular hub having an internal passage which is continuous through the hub and of uniform cross section and which is aligned with the recesses in the flanges.

16. A spool assembly having a longitudinal axis about which said spool assembly is rotated in a strand-handling operation, which comprises:

a first spool half which includes;

a flange having a recess opening to one face thereof;

a hub segment secured rigidly to and extending from said one face, said hub segment having longitudinally extending mating surfaces with a dovetail-shaped ridge formed longitudinally along one of the mating surfaces thereof and with a dovetail-shaped groove formed along the other mating surface thereof;

a second spool half having a flange identical to that of said first spool half and having a hub segment secured rigidly to and extending from said flange of said second spool half with a dovetail-shaped ridge and groove formed on the hub segment of the second spool half to mate with the ridge and groove of said first spool half for securing together said first and second spool halves, and for facilitating relative sliding axial movement between the spool halves and for preventing unintended transverse movement of the first and second spool halves until the free end of each hub segment has been moved into the recess of the mating spool half to secure together longitudinally said spool halves, said mating surfaces of each of said hub segments being coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said spool assembly, and

means formed on the face of one of said flanges for imparting forces to the flange during the rotation of the spool to maintain the spool in a fixed position along the axis of rotation.

117. A spool assembly for use on a spindle in a strand-handling apparatus, said spindle having at least one spline, which comprises:

two mating members, each of said members having a flange with a circular opening formed centrally therethrough and a slot cut radially therethrough and communicating the opening externally with the peripheral edge surface of the flange;

each of said members having a semicircular elongated hub segment with one end of said hub segment secured rigidly to and extending from one planar face of said flange and having the periphery of an inner semicircular surface llfl inner surface of said hub segment having at least one groove formed therein, said groove being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the section for receiving said spline on said spindle, said other end of said hub segment having a crescent-shaped portion protruding therefrom; each of said flanges having a crescent-shaped recess formed therein and which opens circum'ferentially to the one planar face thereof and radially to said opening, said recess having an outer periphery which is joined at each end thereof to one end of the periphery of the inner sur face of the hub segment at the junction of said hub segment with said one planar face of the flange, with the difference between the maximum distance from the longitudinal axis of the hub segment to the outer periphery of the recess and the radius of the opening being slightly less than the maximum wall thickness of the crescent-shaped portion, said crescent-shaped portion adapted to be press fitted into said crescent-shaped recess of the mating member; each of said semicircular hub segments having spaced coplanar longitudinal edge surfaces adapted to be mated with corresponding spaced coplanar longitudinal edge surfaces of the mating member; each of said mating surfaces having a dovetail-shaped rib and a dovetail-shaped groove formed therealong which are adapted to be mated with the groove and the rib of the mating member to facilitate moving slidably the members relative to each other until the other end of the hub segment is press fitted into the recess of the mating member to secure together the members, and means formed on the other planar surface of one of said flanges for imparting forces to said flange during the rotation of said spool to maintain said spool in a predetermined position along the axis of rotation. 118. A spool, which comprises: a first member, which includes;

a flange having a recess opening to one of the planar faces thereof; an elongated hub half secured rigidly to, and extending transversely from, said one planar face of said flange, said hub half having a plurality of spaced colinear dovetail-shaped ridges and a plurality of spaced colinear dovetail-shaped grooves formed on spaced longitudinal edge surfaces thereof and having a protruding portion formed on a free end of the hub half which is adapted to be press fitted into a recess identical to said recess in said flange of said first member, said hub half having openings formed therein and interposed between said grooves, with said openings aligned transversely with said ridges; a second member, which includes;

a flange identical to the flange of said first member, and a second hub secured rigidly to, and! extending transversely from, said one planar face of said flange of said second member, said second hub half having a plurality of spaced colinear dovetail-shaped ridges and grooves formed on spaced, longitudinal edges thereof and having a protruding portion formed on a free end of the hub half, said second hub half having openings formed between the grooves, said openings aligned transversely with said ridges, said ridges of the second hub half designed to be received in the openings of the first hub half and the ridges of the first hub half designed to be received in the openings of the :second hub half, said ridges of each one of said members further designed to be mated slidably with the grooves of the other member to facilitate relative axial movement between said members after said grooves and ridges have been aligned longitudinally until the protruding portions of each of the hub halves extend into the recess of the mating member to secure together the hub halves. 119. A spool assembly to be received on a spindle in a strandhandling apparatus, said spindle having at least one spline,

aligned with a semicircular portion of the opening, said which comprises:

all...

two mating members, each of said members having a flange with a circular opening formed centrally therethrough and a slot cut radially therethrough and communicating the opening externally with the peripheral edge surface of the flanges;

each of said members having a semicircular elongated hub half with one end secured rigidly to and extending from one planar face of the flange and having the periphery of an inner semicircular surface aligned with a semicircular portion of the opening, said inner surface of said hub half having at least one groove cut therein, said groove in said inner surface of said hub half being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hub half for receiving said spline on said spindle, said other end of said hub half having a crescentshaped portion protruding therefrom;

each of said flanges-having a crescent-shaped recess formed therein which opens ci'rcumferentially to the one planar face thereof and radially to said opening, said recess having an outer periphery which is joined at each end thereof to one end of the periphery of the inner surface of the hub half at the junction of said hub half with said one planar face of the flange, with the difference between the maximum distance from the longitudinal axis of the hub half to the outer periphery of the recess and the radius of the opening being slightly less than the maximum wall thickness of the crescent-shaped portion, said crescentshaped portion adapted to be press fitted into the crescent-shaped recess of the mating member;

each of said semicircular hub halves having spaced coplanar mating surfaces formed longitudinally therealong, said members adapted to be mated along said longitudinal surfaces;

one of said mating surfaces of one of said members having a plurality of spaced colinear ribs formed therealong and the other of said mating surfaces of said one member having a plurality of colinear spaced grooves cut longitudinally therealong with said hub half having a portion of the wall between said spaced grooves removed, said ribs on the one longitudinal surface of the one mating member aligned transversely with the openings in the other longitudinal surface of the one mating member, so that when the mating members are moved transversely relative to one another and the ribs in the one mating member are aligned longitudinally with the openings of the other mating member, the openings in the one mating member are aligned with the ribs in the other mating member and the spool is assembled by causing relative movement between the members to engage the complementary ribs and grooves to connect together the members and to guide the other end of each of the hub halves into the recess of the mating member to secure together the members.

20. A spool designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with a spindle during a strand-handling operation, which includes:

a first flange having a hole formed therein;

a second flange having a hole formed therein;

a first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said first flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said second flange;

a second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said first flange and to cooperate with said first hub segment to form a separable hub of the spool; and

means formed on one of the faces of said flange for maintaining said spool assembly in apredetermined position along an axis of rotation of a spindle during the rotation of said spindle. 21. The spool of claim 3 designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand-handling operation, which also includes:

means formed on one of the faces of said flange for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along an axis of rotation of a spindle during the rotation of said spindle. 22. The spool of claim 15 designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand-handling operation, which also includes:

i i k i 

1. A spool, which comprises: a first flange having a hole formed centrally therein; a second flange having a hole formed centrally therein; a first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said first flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said first flange and to cooperate with said first hub segment to form a separable hub of the spool; a second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said first flange and to cooperate with said first hub segment to form a separable hub of the spool; the hub having an internal passage which is continuous and of uniform cross section through the hub and which is aligned with the holes in the flanges.
 2. A spool, set forth in claim 1, wherein: said hub segments are transversely separable from each other.
 3. A spool, which comprises: a first hub segment; a second hub segment; a first flange secured rigidly to one end of said first hub segment and having a hole formed centrally therein and adapted to receive one end of said second hub segment, said first flange circumscribing a substantial portion of one end of said first hub segment, and a second flange secured rigidly to the other end of said second hub segment and having a hole formed centrally therein adapted to receive the other end of said first hub segment, said second flange circumscribing a substantial portion of the one end of said second hub segment, said hub segments being adapted to cooperate to form a separable hub for the spool; the hub having an internal passage which is continuous and of uniform cross section through the hub and which is aligned with the holes in the flanges.
 4. A spool, as set forth in claim 3, wherein: said hub segments are transversely separable from each other.
 5. A separable spool, which comprises: a first flange having a recess formed centrally therein; a second flange spaced from said first flange and having a recess formed centrally therein; a first partially tubular hub segment having a mating surface formed longitudinally thereof, said first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said first flange and the other end received in said recess in said second flange, and a second partially tubular hub segment having a longitudinally extending mating surface mated with said mating surface of said first hub segment to form a separable tubular hub, each said second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and the other end received in said recess in said first flange; said tubular hub having an internal passage which is of continuous uniform cross section through the hub.
 6. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said hub segments are transversely separable from each other.
 7. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said first and second flanges circumscribe substantial portions of said first and second hub segments, respectively.
 8. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 5, which further includes: complementary means formed on said mating surfaces of said first and second hub segments for facilitating relative axial movement between said hub segments and for preventing unintended transverse movement of said first and second hub segments until the relative axial movement of the hub segments has been caused to occur.
 9. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 8, wherein: said complementary means include complementary ridge and groove means formed along the longitudinal mating surfaces of the hub segments.
 10. A separable spool, as set forth in claim 9, wherein: said complementary ridge and groove means are dovetail shaped.
 11. A separable spool designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand handling operation, which comprises: a first flange having a recess formed therein; a second flange spaced from said first flange and having a recess formed therein; a first hub segment having a mating surface formed longitudinally thereof, said first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said flange and the other end received in said recess in said second flange, a second hub segment having a longitudinally extending mating surface mated with said mating surface of said first hub segment to form a separable hub, said second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and the other end received in said recess in said first flange; and means formed on one of the faces of one of said flanges for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along the axis of rotation of said spindle during the rotation of said spindle.
 12. A separable spool designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand-handling operation, which comprises: a first flange having a recess formed therein; a second flange spaced from said first flange and having a recess formed therein; a first hub segment having a mating surface formed longitudinally thereof, said first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said flange and the other end received in said recess in said second flange, a second hub segment having a longitudinally extending mating surface mated with said mating surface of said first hub segment to form a separable hub, said second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and the other end received in said recess in said first flange; and means formed on one of the faces of one of said flanges for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along the axis of rotation of said spindle during the rotation of said spindle; said maintaining means includes at least one inclined surface formed on an outward face of one of said flanges which, upon rotation of the spool, has forces imparted thereto for overcoming those forces imparted to the spool during a paying out of strand material therefrom, which tend to urge said spool along the axis of rotation of the spool, to maintain said spool in a substantially fixed position along said axis of rotation. 13 A spool, as set forth in claim 5, and designed to have a strand of material advanced therethrough along the axis of rotation of the spool in a strand-handling operation, in which: each of said flanges has a hole formed centrally therethrough; further, each of said flanges has a slot formed therein which communicates said hole externally with the peripheral face of the flange, and further, each of said hub segments is a partial tubular section, said mating hub segments forming a tubular hub having an internal passage, said internal passage aligned with said holes in said flanges.
 14. A spool, as set forth in claim 13, which is mounted on a spindle for rotation with said spindle, wherein said hub segments are formed with a plurality of grooves spaced circumferentially about an inner surface thereof adapted to receive a plurality of splines formed axially thereof to secure said spool to said spindle.
 15. A spool, which comprises: two identicAl mating halves, each of said halves including: a flange having a recess formed centrally therein, and a partially tubular hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said flange and the other end received in the recess in the flange of the mating half, said hub segments adapted to form a separable tubular hub, said hub segments being transversely separable from each other; said tubular hub having an internal passage which is continuous through the hub and of uniform cross section and which is aligned with the recesses in the flanges.
 16. A spool assembly having a longitudinal axis about which said spool assembly is rotated in a strand-handling operation, which comprises: a first spool half which includes; a flange having a recess opening to one face thereof; a hub segment secured rigidly to and extending from said one face, said hub segment having longitudinally extending mating surfaces with a dovetail-shaped ridge formed longitudinally along one of the mating surfaces thereof and with a dovetail-shaped groove formed along the other mating surface thereof; a second spool half having a flange identical to that of said first spool half and having a hub segment secured rigidly to and extending from said flange of said second spool half with a dovetail-shaped ridge and groove formed on the hub segment of the second spool half to mate with the ridge and groove of said first spool half for securing together said first and second spool halves, and for facilitating relative sliding axial movement between the spool halves and for preventing unintended transverse movement of the first and second spool halves until the free end of each hub segment has been moved into the recess of the mating spool half to secure together longitudinally said spool halves, said mating surfaces of each of said hub segments being coplanar with the longitudinal axis of said spool assembly, and means formed on the face of one of said flanges for imparting forces to the flange during the rotation of the spool to maintain the spool in a fixed position along the axis of rotation.
 17. A spool assembly for use on a spindle in a strand-handling apparatus, said spindle having at least one spline, which comprises: two mating members, each of said members having a flange with a circular opening formed centrally therethrough and a slot cut radially therethrough and communicating the opening externally with the peripheral edge surface of the flange; each of said members having a semicircular elongated hub segment with one end of said hub segment secured rigidly to and extending from one planar face of said flange and having the periphery of an inner semicircular surface aligned with a semicircular portion of the opening, said inner surface of said hub segment having at least one groove formed therein, said groove being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the section for receiving said spline on said spindle, said other end of said hub segment having a crescent-shaped portion protruding therefrom; each of said flanges having a crescent-shaped recess formed therein and which opens circumferentially to the one planar face thereof and radially to said opening, said recess having an outer periphery which is joined at each end thereof to one end of the periphery of the inner surface of the hub segment at the junction of said hub segment with said one planar face of the flange, with the difference between the maximum distance from the longitudinal axis of the hub segment to the outer periphery of the recess and the radius of the opening being slightly less than the maximum wall thickness of the crescent-shaped portion, said crescent-shaped portion adapted to be press fitted into said crescent-shaped recess of the mating member; each of said semicircular hub segments having spaced coplanar longitudinal edge surfaces adapted to be mated with corresponding spaced coplanar longitudinal edge surfaces of the mating member; each of said mating surfaces haviNg a dovetail-shaped rib and a dovetail-shaped groove formed therealong which are adapted to be mated with the groove and the rib of the mating member to facilitate moving slidably the members relative to each other until the other end of the hub segment is press fitted into the recess of the mating member to secure together the members, and means formed on the other planar surface of one of said flanges for imparting forces to said flange during the rotation of said spool to maintain said spool in a predetermined position along the axis of rotation.
 18. A spool, which comprises: a first member, which includes; a flange having a recess opening to one of the planar faces thereof; an elongated hub half secured rigidly to, and extending transversely from, said one planar face of said flange, said hub half having a plurality of spaced colinear dovetail-shaped ridges and a plurality of spaced colinear dovetail-shaped grooves formed on spaced longitudinal edge surfaces thereof and having a protruding portion formed on a free end of the hub half which is adapted to be press fitted into a recess identical to said recess in said flange of said first member, said hub half having openings formed therein and interposed between said grooves, with said openings aligned transversely with said ridges; a second member, which includes; a flange identical to the flange of said first member, and a second hub secured rigidly to, and extending transversely from, said one planar face of said flange of said second member, said second hub half having a plurality of spaced colinear dovetail-shaped ridges and grooves formed on spaced, longitudinal edges thereof and having a protruding portion formed on a free end of the hub half, said second hub half having openings formed between the grooves, said openings aligned transversely with said ridges, said ridges of the second hub half designed to be received in the openings of the first hub half and the ridges of the first hub half designed to be received in the openings of the second hub half, said ridges of each one of said members further designed to be mated slidably with the grooves of the other member to facilitate relative axial movement between said members after said grooves and ridges have been aligned longitudinally until the protruding portions of each of the hub halves extend into the recess of the mating member to secure together the hub halves.
 19. A spool assembly to be received on a spindle in a strand-handling apparatus, said spindle having at least one spline, which comprises: two mating members, each of said members having a flange with a circular opening formed centrally therethrough and a slot cut radially therethrough and communicating the opening externally with the peripheral edge surface of the flanges; each of said members having a semicircular elongated hub half with one end secured rigidly to and extending from one planar face of the flange and having the periphery of an inner semicircular surface aligned with a semicircular portion of the opening, said inner surface of said hub half having at least one groove cut therein, said groove in said inner surface of said hub half being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hub half for receiving said spline on said spindle, said other end of said hub half having a crescent-shaped portion protruding therefrom; each of said flanges having a crescent-shaped recess formed therein which opens circumferentially to the one planar face thereof and radially to said opening, said recess having an outer periphery which is joined at each end thereof to one end of the periphery of the inner surface of the hub half at the junction of said hub half with said one planar face of the flange, with the difference between the maximum distance from the longitudinal axis of the hub half to the outer periphery of the recess and the radius of the opening being slightly less than the maximum wall thickness of the crescent-shaped portion, said crescent-Shaped portion adapted to be press fitted into the crescent-shaped recess of the mating member; each of said semicircular hub halves having spaced coplanar mating surfaces formed longitudinally therealong, said members adapted to be mated along said longitudinal surfaces; one of said mating surfaces of one of said members having a plurality of spaced colinear ribs formed therealong and the other of said mating surfaces of said one member having a plurality of colinear spaced grooves cut longitudinally therealong with said hub half having a portion of the wall between said spaced grooves removed, said ribs on the one longitudinal surface of the one mating member aligned transversely with the openings in the other longitudinal surface of the one mating member, so that when the mating members are moved transversely relative to one another and the ribs in the one mating member are aligned longitudinally with the openings of the other mating member, the openings in the one mating member are aligned with the ribs in the other mating member and the spool is assembled by causing relative movement between the members to engage the complementary ribs and grooves to connect together the members and to guide the other end of each of the hub halves into the recess of the mating member to secure together the members.
 20. A spool designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with a spindle during a strand-handling operation, which includes: a first flange having a hole formed therein; a second flange having a hole formed therein; a first hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said first flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said second flange; a second hub segment having one end secured rigidly to said second flange and having the other end adapted to be received in said hole in said first flange and to cooperate with said first hub segment to form a separable hub of the spool; and means formed on one of the faces of said flange for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along an axis of rotation of a spindle during the rotation of said spindle.
 21. The spool of claim 3 designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand-handling operation, which also includes: means formed on one of the faces of said flange for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along an axis of rotation of a spindle during the rotation of said spindle.
 22. The spool of claim 15 designed to be received on a spindle for rotation with the spindle during a strand-handling operation, which also includes: means formed on one of the faces of said flange for maintaining said spool assembly in a predetermined position along an axis of rotation of the spindle during the rotation of the spindle. 